COVID-19 UPDATES
To view a breakdown of COVID-19 cases by race and ethnicity (updated on Mondays), click this link. Click here to view the “Key Indicators” data dashboard.
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County is reporting these numbers as of this afternoon:
- 264 new positive cases of COVID-19 (77,841 total).
- 9 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,279 total)
- 3 new hospitalizations (4,846 to date)
- On Wednesday, February 3rd, Public Health reported 391 new positive cases of COVID-19 (77,577 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,270 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 22 (4,843 total).
- On Tuesday, February 2nd, Public Health reported 169 new positive cases of COVID-19 (77,186 total) and 6 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,270 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 6 (4,821 total).
Statewide, according to the DOH, as of today, the total number of confirmed positive cases is 302,782. The total number of probable cases is 15,096, for a total of 317,878 cases. The total number of deaths statewide is 4,416, and total hospitalizations are 18,071.
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
Dr. Duchin press conference: Tomorrow at noon
Public Health – Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin will provide an update on COVID-19 case trends and vaccine distribution during a briefing at noon tomorrow, Friday, February 5th. The event will be live streamed on Public Health’s Facebook page. And it appears he’s doing these just about every Friday.)
View today’s press conferences: The Governor and the state Dept. of Health
Governor Jay Inslee held a press conference this afternoon to discuss the 2021 legislative session and the state's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you missed seeing it live, you can view it here on TVW. The state Department of Health (DOH) held a weekly briefing this morning to provide an update on state efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can view the DOH/Washington State Coronavirus Response Joint Information Center briefing here on TVW.
An update on County vaccination efforts
 Photo by Steven Cornfield on Unsplash
Staff and elected officials at the County have – with good reason – been hearing from frustrated County residents about the difficulties in obtaining a vaccine, and the confusing information regarding availability and eligibility. We share your frustration! Below is some of the latest on the County’s vaccination efforts, from a variety of sources throughout the County:
- Currently, vaccine demand far exceeds supply. About 300,000 people are currently eligible for vaccine King County. Yet we've received less than 30% of the doses needed to vaccinate them.
- The County has asked the state to increase doses to King County, as we have only received enough doses to vaccinate less than 30% of our eligible population. Even with that constraint, King County providers have administered 87% of the vaccine doses supplied.
- The County is following its guidelines related to prioritizing the most vulnerable and following the data that demonstrate a significantly higher incidence of infection and/or death in South King County, with people over the age of 75 years, and with BIPOC residents.
As always, for the latest vaccination news in King County, see this page: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/vaccine/distribution.aspx
Public Health update to County Council on vaccinating older adults
 Ingrid Ulrey from Public Health - - Seattle & King County (Public Health) on Tuesday updated the County Council on Public Health’s strategy to protect older adults while dealing with a limited supply of vaccine. Ulrey also discussed the County’s preparedness to ramp up vaccine delivery quickly as supplies increase. View the briefing here.
You may also be interested in this short slideshow from Public Health. (It’s on Facebook, but you don’t need an account to access it.)
Also, see this blog post on Public Health Insider: King County opens COVID-19 vaccination sites in Kent and Auburn to provide access for vulnerable older adults and their caretakers.
CDC chart breaks down COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths by age group
 A stark but helpful reminder about the realities of the pandemic.
Vaccine side effects
The state Department of Health (DOH) is reminding the public that it is common to have mild side effects one to three days after getting the vaccine. Common side effects are tiredness, muscle pain, a sore arm, fever, headache, joint pain, chills, nausea, or vomiting. These can be signs that the vaccine is working. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness here.
Inequitable vaccine distribution
I am currently working with my Council colleagues to see if there is something we can do at the County level to address this problem, which I’ve discussed in previous e-newsletters. My motion, 2020-0086, requesting the Governor, the state Department of Health, and the State Legislature to take action to prohibit such practices will be taken up by the Council at our meeting next Tuesday, February 9th at 1 p.m.
I will continue to keep you apprised of those efforts. In the meantime, here is some recent coverage of inequity in vaccine distribution, and of people cutting in the vaccination line:
- The wealthy are getting more vaccinations, even in poorer neighborhoods – The New York Times
- Seattle officials call for equitable vaccine distribution after reports of special access – Seattle PI
- Washington state tells vaccine providers: We may cut your supply if you allow VIP scheduling – The Seattle Times
- King County launches push to deliver equity in COVID-19 vaccine distribution – Q13
- People jump vaccine line in Washington state, while others try to get appointments - KUOW
- Calls grow in Germany to punish queue-jumping for vaccines - The Seattle Times
- On the front lines of vaccine favoritism in Seattle - The Seattle Times
Accessible COVID-19 interview series for community members who are deaf and hard of hearing
 Public Health – Seattle and King County has created a COVID-19 video series that is accessible to community members who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The series includes ASL interpretation, captions, and transcripts. (Please turn on closed captioning for each video.) Click here for more information.
Metro to install mask dispensers on entire bus fleet
 Metro has announced that it will install mask dispensers on its entire bus fleet of 1,404 coaches by the end of March. I am especially pleased about this as Councilmember Rod Dembowski and I got this going last summer. Metro has been providing dispensers on 100 of its buses but is now outfitting all of them! Read the full story here.
Transit equity
 Today is Transit Equity Day! I look forward to continuing to work with Metro in ensuring that transit is accessible, reliable, equitable and safe throughout the region to keep our residents moving.
Public Health released updated cleaning and sanitizing guidelines for food establishments
 Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are all similar but different ways to help prevent COVID-19. Cleaning and sanitizing is part of daily procedures. Disinfection is not approved for food contact surfaces. Read the new guidelines here. For more information from Public Health on COVID and food establishments, see this page.
Safer ways to watch the Super Bowl
First of all, just to reiterate what I said at the beginning of this e-newsletter, gathering virtually or only with the people in your household is the safest way to celebrate the Super Bowl this year. The CDC suggests a virtual watch party, or starting a group text to chat about the plays as they happen. They also suggest an outdoors watch party, using a projector screen and setting up chairs for social distancing. In our climate, of course, everyone would have to really bundle up!
News on West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant
 The State Department of Ecology imposed an Administrative Order on February 3rd requiring West Point Treatment Plant to ensure that the power sources used are sufficiently strong and reliable. Storms and associated small power blips and surges have caused machinery issues and subsequent overflows (to avoid flooding the facility) in the past, which led Seattle City Light and the County’s Wastewater Treatment Division to complete a study that includes recommendations for improvement. I am pleased that WTD has a clear way forward in addressing these issues, and am looking forward to seeing implementation of these essential improvements to the power supply system. No one wants to have any more sewage being released into Elliott Bay and beyond.
VIDEO: January 28th - - King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias: In conversation with Enrique Cerna
Last week, I was honored to join the King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias with my King County Council colleague Rod Dembowski for a conversation on anti-racism work and activism. I thought it was a highly interesting and stimulating discussion with Matt Chan and Enrique Cerna among others speaking about intergenerational activism and how we can use the work of local civil rights icons (such as the Gang of Four including my dear friend and former colleague Larry Gossett who is the lone survivor, as well as Bernie Whitebear, Bob Santos and Roberto Maestas) as a foundation for continued change. I found the conversation to be very informative and moving, and would highly encourage viewing it (click here) if you haven’t already.
DID YOU KNOW?
.. . that a 1984 Seattle Times / Pacific NW magazine story 1984 predicted life in Seattle in 2020, and “…was not completely wrong.”?
Additional helpful and informative links
- Long lines, few vaccines as King County is under looser Phase 2 COVID regulations – The Seattle Times
- A fast, at-home coronavirus test will be available to Americans this year - The Seattle Times
- Anti-vaxxers misuse federal data to falsely claim COVID vaccines are dangerous - Vice
- Why COVID vaccines are likely safe for pregnant people – Scientific American
- The COVID-19 vaccine does not cause infertility, as social media myths are claiming – The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Getting a vaccine is 'kind of like trying to get concert tickets – you just have to be lucky' - KNKX
- Shortage of COVID-19 vaccine in Washington state prompts frustration – KOMO News
- COVID-19 updates: Kitsap County urges Gov. Inslee to return to county-by-county reopening approach – MyNorthwest
- A lost generation of learners – The Seattle Times
- People who had COVID-19 may develop 10 times as many antibodies after a single vaccine dose — a sign they might need only one shot – Business Insider
- Biden administration will ship COVID-19 vaccines directly to pharmacies - NPR
- New diabetes cases linked to COVID-19 – The Seattle Times
- King County’s first mass vaccination sites open, but 75+ age limitation sparks confusion – KIRO 7
- How ‘Groundhog Day’ can help us cope with the Groundhog Day of this endless past year – The Seattle Times
- Washington wildlife officials ask residents to take down bird feeders amid outbreak of salmonellosis – Seattle PI
- Some baby food may contain toxic metals, U.S. reports – The New York Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo from CNN.com
Today’s Moment of Inspiration is yet another example of the importance of the U.S. Postal Service and the sometimes critical role played by mail carriers in neighborhood safety. CNN tells the story of Shonda Lemon, a mail carrier in Chicago, who noticed a senior citizen on her route - Helen Iwanski, 89 - hadn't picked up her mail in a few days. According to CNN, “After she noticed Iwanski's absence, Lemon called the police to ask for a well-being check. When police entered the house, they found Iwanski on the floor, where she had fallen and been unable to move for several days. Luckily, after a hospital stay, Iwanski is on the mend, and her family says she calls the postal worker her angel.” Click here to read the full story.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I am now sending out on Mondays and Thursdays. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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